Marathon Night, Bilbao at marathon pace

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Are you a passionate runner? Do you like travelling while enjoying your favourite sport? Would you like to take part in a nocturnal race? If you have answered yes to the three questions above, you are a potential runner of the nocturnal marathon that the Bilbao Bilborun Athletics Club is organising on October 20th.

Due to the show surrounding the race, its 12,000 participants and a trajectory of now nine editions, the Marathon Night is the unmissable sports event this autumn.

For yet another year, the runners can choose between the three distances approved by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA): the pirate race (10k), the half marathon (21k) and the marathon (42k). Regardless of the race you choose, the starting line this year is the same for everyone: a new and wide space on the terrace of the San Mamés stadium, from where the runners’ departures will be staggered in six sections according to the estimated arrival time of each runner.

With a maximum time of five hours to complete the longest challenge, runners will have water stations every 2.5 km, as well as people wearing flags who will act as pacers during the two races exceeding 20 km.

Stay a few minutes away from the starting and finishing line

Since resting well and eating correctly before the race are two of the main requirements for any runner who plans to perform well, a comfortable hotel close to the race is essential.

That is why we suggest you stay in the Silken Indautxu, a recently-renovated four-star hotel, located in the financial and commercial hub of the city. Thanks to its strategic central location, you will only take 15 minutes to reach the starting point, San Mamés, on foot, and seven minutes to return from the finishing line, the Guggenheim Museum.

What’s more, out hotel also boasts one of the city’s top restaurants, the Etxaniz restaurant where you can taste innovative yet traditional Basque cuisine without leaving the hotel.

Music and fireworks

In two consecutive laps of 21k each, the city marathon will pass by the main streets and monuments of Bilbao: Euskalduna, Gran vía, Teatro Arriaga, Parte Vieja, the City Hall, Torres Isozaki and the Puente Calatrava, among others.

As with every race, the idea is to run and arrive at the finishing line but also to enjoy the circuit and the festive atmosphere. To facilitate matters, the city will be transformed for one night into a spectacle about running, with fireworks and light shows at different points along the route.

In turn, a giant screen installed on the Guggenheim Museum will show live pictures of the progression of the race while on stage groups of music, dance and DJs will entertain the public and the runners crossing the line.

Charity circuits or teams

The organisers of the Marathon Night know that taking part is what counts, and so they offer all the runners the opportunity to enjoy the race in teams of a minimum of 10 people. In this way, companies, associations, groups of friends, families, sports clubs and gyms that want to join the event simply have to fill out a form with the name of the group and a contact person as well as the number of people who will compete together in each race. Now you don’t have any excuses to not take part in the most important night of Bilbao running!

While participants of the half marathon and the full marathon must be over 18 years of age, the minimum age for participation in the pirate race is 16.

Bilbao is brought to a standstill for an entire night to pay tribute to sport and experience it to the maximum with one of the main sports, festive and cultural events not only in the city, but on the peninsula, Marathon Night. We look forward to seeing you in Bilbao wearing your trainers!